Meet Montse Diaz

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Montse Diaz a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Montse, we’re thrilled to have you on our platform and we think there is so much folks can learn from you and your story. Something that matters deeply to us is living a life and leading a career filled with purpose and so let’s start by chatting about how you found your purpose.

I’m still debating whether I’ve found it yet. I’ve found my purpose at different stages of my life. Before moving to New York, I struggled to balance finishing industrial design school and working full-time at a design studio. My school and major were very demanding, and most friends graduated before me, making college a bit lonely. In that design studio, my boss asked me to paint the office staff on ceramic mugs using Sharpies. We canceled our meetings and dedicated the rest of the day to perfecting the art of doodling on IKEA mugs!

I was so exhilarated and excited that I asked my friend to meet for a little brainstorming session that night. We spent the whole night perfecting the idea. The Doodle Store was born—a store of handmade novelties where I put my doodles into any desired product. We made everything from t-shirts, bags, dolls, ceramics, and murals. I became closer to the artisanal community of my country, as well as other creatives. It made me closer to friends and family, and it gave me a space to improve my art at the pace that I wanted, in the areas I wanted. I spent the next five years working as a full-time doodler. Founding The Doodle Store was my eureka-purpose moment. Still, I knew it was more of an experiment for myself rather than a long-term venture.

It became a successful, niche local brand, and through Etsy, my doodles were getting to places worldwide. At that moment, I realized my purpose was grounded in using my creative skills to make people feel joy. But I was only 25 at the time, and I was craving something more significant. As much as I wanted to see my brand grow, New York was always my goal, so I started to pursue it. I started spending a few months in the city, enrolled in a second major, put The Doodle Store to rest, and fully relocated.

I lived in New York for a few years. I attended one of my life’s most extended and perhaps nerve-wracking interviews. At the end of the process, only the CEO interview was left, one that my colleagues described as the most intimidating. What was initially planned as a 15-minute rapid questions chat turned into an hour-long conversation about the doodle I had on my resume and The Doodle Store story. I thankfully got the job and, three years later, became a Creative Director. Sadly, after years of too much work and not taking care of myself properly, I faced burnout; my mental and physical health was in decline.

It was then that I started dancing flamenco, and not only did I reconnect with my roots, the music, and the dance I always loved, but I also discovered a beautiful community of people that felt warm and inviting—the type of community I always wanted to have in New York. So you can say I’ve found my purpose after facing some life glitches and rollercoaster eras. I don’t always want it to be that way, but in the end, it all comes down to authenticity and following your heart. Sometimes, it comes without notice; sometimes, it is a continuation of something else. My purpose relies on self-expression through my art; a medium or skill does not always define that art. It’s about embracing creativity and its challenges without hesitation.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

I’m Montse (like Beyonce). I’m a visual designer, creative director, and photographer based in New York City. I have a unique style that blends contemporary graphic design with pop-infused eclecticism.

I grew up in the Dominican Republic, where I was always surrounded by art and music. My career in design began at the age of 19 when I worked as a designer and photographer for my alma mater. After completing my studies, I focused on branding and digital design, working with small businesses, agencies, and design studios.

After moving to New York in 2014, I took a design sabbatical to concentrate on fashion school and re-establish my career in the city. During this time, I worked with startups and small brands, which helped shape my current work’s direction.

Over the years, I’ve enjoyed working on various exciting projects where I’ve developed identity and branding systems, marketing collateral materials, packaging, and digital products for some fantastic brands. Some of the brands include Flower Beauty by Drew Barrymore, WellPath, Essie, Ardell, Finn Wellness, Barefoot Wines, DojoMojo, Proxima, Apothic Red, TWENTY Montreal, To Boot New York, and Banesco. I’ve also worked with design studios and agencies such as Canvas Design & Media, BlueSwitch, Innovation Department, and SuperDigital.

In 2013, I founded The Doodle Store, a small-scale project channelling my artistic energy into personalised illustrations for printed products and handmade novelties. We collaborated with Dominican artisans and crafted handbags, wooden dolls, murals, and ceramics. The Doodle Store evolved into a renowned venture, expanding globally through Etsy. It has gained recognition on digital platforms like The Colbert Show, Forbes Dominican Republic, and publications like HOY, Estilos, and Pandora.

Drawing from this diverse range of experiences, I have developed a unique perspective that allows me to approach projects with a fresh and innovative mindset. By combining my knowledge and skills from my past endeavours, I can create a synergy that enables me to push the boundaries of creativity in everything I do. This fuels my passion for exploring new creative outlets and allows me to apply my expertise in a way that brings value to every project I work on.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

Growing up in the Dominican Republic, I was surrounded by a diverse tapestry of people and culture. Moving to New York, I expected to find much more of that, but I usually found myself in places where I was the only one who looked like me. It was challenging at first, but it also became a powerful source of motivation and made me appreciate my unique background much more. It’s very cool to grow up in a beautiful place with the happiest people in the world.

With time, I learned that authenticity is my greatest strength. I’ve had moments in New York when I felt like giving up because I couldn’t fit into the city’s art scene. It felt either too snobby or too repetitive, and I wanted to fit into something that felt inviting and warm, like the art scene back home.

I realized I could bring something fresh and innovative by embracing my uniqueness. Instead of seeing my differences as a barrier, I began to see them as a bridge. It became some sort of branding. It hasn’t always been easy, and as a minority in the city, I’ve faced many different experiences that made me question if I belong here. Still, ultimately, I keep falling in love with New York repeatedly, and I’ve loved every stage here until this day.

Alright, so before we go we want to ask you to take a moment to reflect and share what you think you would do if you somehow knew you only had a decade of life left?

A big part of me always felt disconnected from my environment at different life stages. It’s almost as if I subconsciously decided to pursue off-brand things to see what I could get out of them. In high school, I was too pop to be considered a cool kid; in college, I was too artsy to be a good industrial designer; in New York, I was too exotic for some environments, so I’ve always lived under the impression that I’m one in a million but not for the right reasons. I’ve been depressed for thinking I’m too much of a generalist at everything, but the truth is that I love my journey so much. I love the diversity of my work and lifestyle. I wouldn’t change anything about my story to fall into a specific niche. I don’t think I’ve overcome it, but I’ve learned to turn that feeling into curiosity.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.montsediaz.work
• Instagram: montsediaz
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/montsediaz/
• Other: Instagram: @montsediaz.studio

Image Credits

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